How Indian Army indiscipline is casting shadow on its professionalism

 ISLAMABAD: There have been several incidents of breakdown of discipline in Indian Army units in the past few years which points serious fingers on the professionalism of the Indian Army.

In many instances, including the one in Nyoma in Ladakh concerning an Artillery Regiment, officers have been punished after being found blameworthy while many jawans too have been court-martialled and dismissed from service

Army has recently ordered a Court of Inquiry to investigate the reasons behind the unrest in an infantry battalion of the Army in the North East last month.

In yet another case Jawan-officer face-off occured in Punjab where Army had orders court of inquiry into the incident.

Indian Army had also probed reports of its UN peacekeepers fathering kids in Congo

The Army had also has conducted a Court of Inquiry to investigate the reasons behind the unrest in an infantry battalion of the Army.

Highly placed sources inform that the inquiry is headed by an officer of the rank of Brigadier and comprises of two Colonels who are commanding units in the same area. These officers-Brig SK Chawla, Commander 2 Mountain Artillery Brigade, Col PK Singh, CO 502 ASC Battalion and Col Lakshman Singh, CO 11 Grenadiers-are investigating the incidents pertaining to May 11 when a confrontation took place between some jawans of 8 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (8 JAK RIF) and officers of the unit at a location in Arunachal Pradesh.

Sources inform that Army Rule 180, which pertains to military reputation of a person, has been invoked for several jawans and officers of the unit who are to be examined by the inquiry which is taking place at Headquarters of 2 Mountain Division in Dinjan.

Among the officers who are to be examined are the then officiating Commanding Officer of the battalion, the Regimental Medical Officer and several other officers. The actual commanding officer of the unit was away on leave when the fracas took place and he was urgently recalled to take over command.

The Army had termed the unrest in the unit as an emotional response by jawans after a jawan died of a heart attack following a route march. The jawans had earlier complained of some unease.

Sources inform that the genesis of the indiscipline shown by some jawans-who raised slogans besides manhandling officers.

The rising incidences of Jawans and Officers face off in Indian Army points fingers towards the professionalism and the discipline of the Indian Army.

It is also questioned that an Army whose officers and men are often found in face off situation with each other whether would be able to fight together as one unit within their battle units.

However there are many other instances where Indian Army officers and men have been found involved in immoral acts. The recent incident of rape of a girl by three Indian Army men in a Train is one of the few incidences which was reported by the main stream media and many such incidences are even not reported and kept secret as far as possible.

Analysts have also pointed out towards the rising extremist Hindu tendency in the Army men and officers and officer like Colonel Purhoit have been found to be involved in the acts of Hindu terrorism within India.

Few days ago Indian Army men and officers on the directions of their GOC were found involved in the Dacoity case of smuggled Gold.

Such rising tendencies of indiscipline, Hindu extremism, criminal acts and internal fights are casting serious shadows over the professionalism of Indian Army.